


Things Were Different Then (All is Different Now)

by roosterbox



Series: Just You and Me and Nothing More [1]
Category: X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom
Genre: Angsty Erik, Canon Disabled Character, Day At The Beach, Fluff and Angst, Growing Old Together, M/M, Old Married Couple, Vacation, painful memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-15
Updated: 2015-04-15
Packaged: 2018-03-23 02:38:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3751240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roosterbox/pseuds/roosterbox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of <i>Days of Future Past</i>, an older Charles and Erik take some time for themselves.</p><p>The beach may be different, but the memories will always remain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things Were Different Then (All is Different Now)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm considering this Post DOFP, because I'm almost completely convinced that Erik was at the mansion in the new future and we just didn't get to see it.
> 
> And even old gay mutants need a romantic weekend getaway, right?

 

It had been years since Charles had gone to the beach, and Erik was determined to make sure the trip was a good one. This was a weekend for them; the telepath had left instructions that the students should call him only if “absolutely necessary”, which Erik had swiftly amended to “don’t call at all if you value your life.”

Scott had fretted, but Logan, that sly dog, gave Erik a knowing wink and a gruff “Good luck, Mags.” He was always acting like he knew much more than he let on. Probably a side effect of time travel, or whatever it was he had done. The logistics still tended to confuse everyone.

“Erik,” Charles spoke at his side, “try to calm your mind.”

Erik stopped walking, startled out of his reverie. The wheelchair rolled to a pause beside him.

“Oh, sorry. Was I thinking too loud?”

“No, darling, but you always get a rather…intense look on your face if your thoughts run deep enough. I was afraid you might frighten the other beach goers.”

Erik smirked, and continued up the path. “Perhaps they should be frightened, Charles, seeing the world’s most dangerous mutant terrorist out in the open like this…”

The other man smiled. “All they will see, Erik, is two old men visiting the beach. I think you stopped striking fear in the hearts of the innocent long ago.”

“On any other day, I might’ve taken offense to that,” Erik said, bristling. He felt a warm hand take hold of his own.

“Then I’m glad this isn’t any other day, my friend.”

They continued on in silence, the stones in the walkway crunching under Erik’s feet and the wheels of the chair. When the path ended, and the beach began, Erik wordlessly used his power to lift Charles’ chair over the sand. After a moment, Charles asked him to stop.

“Here, Erik. This is a good spot.” Erik looked around. He could see a few other people further down, but they weren’t close enough to disrupt his and Charles’ privacy. The afternoon was drifting away, and most people might consider it time to head inside. He’d chosen this hour for that exact reason.

Carefully he let the wheels sink into the sand, and Charles sighed, stretching out his arms. “Oh, how lovely. This sun, isn’t it a magnificent sight?”

His face was almost painted gold by it, and his smile was even brighter. “Yes, quite beautiful,” Erik agreed. He saw Charles’ cheeks pink up a bit, and knew the other man had realized that he wasn’t looking at the sky.

“Erik,” The telepath said after a moment, “I’d like to sit down in the sand, please.”

When Erik made as if to use his power, Charles shook his head. “No, my friend. No powers. Just hold me close.”

Erik paused only briefly before nodding. With one hand under Charles’ knees and one supporting his back, Erik lifted his partner out of the wheelchair with ease. His age might have been advancing a bit rapidly, but this was one thing he’d always be able to do right. He moved a couple paces from the chair and set the other man down as gently as possible before moving to sit beside him.

“This is amazing. Thank you for this,” Charles murmured. Erik’s thoughts were a jumble of pride and a slight touch of nervousness, so Charles laid his hand on top of the older man’s, entwining their fingers. “I can’t remember the last time I went to the beach.”

Erik’s thoughts came to a screeching halt, and Charles nearly winced at the wave of pain and self-loathing that replaced them. He almost missed the other man’s whispered “I remember.”

Charles mentally cursed himself. He could feel Erik trying to separate their hands, so he tightened his grip.

“None of that, Erik. We’ve already crossed those bridges.” He reached out with his other hand and cupped a stubbled cheek. “There’s nothing you’ve done that I haven’t already forgiven you for.”

“But-”

“Erik, look at me.”

Pained blue eyes locked on his.

“I love you.” The words, which had once caught in his throat on a beach similar to this one, came almost too easily.

For Erik as well. “I love you too,” he said back. Charles leaned forward and met his lips in a chaste kiss.

“This is our weekend, darling, so no more of those dark thoughts, okay?” Erik nodded slowly, and tried to swallow down those memories. He scooted a bit closer to his lover.

Charles wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “The sun’s starting to go down, my friend. What would you like to do here, while there’s still light left?”

“Nothing. Just..” Erik looked down, all at once uncharacteristically shy. “Just hold me close,” he mumbled.

He half-suspected that Charles hadn’t heard him, quiet as the request had been, but he soon felt hands tugging him down. With a little quick shuffling they were both laid out on the warm sand, Erik’s head pillowed on Charles’ chest. Gentle, familiar fingers moved through his hair. Calming him, as they always had. Once upon a time, the beach had been a symbol of what they’d lost, and what Erik had so thoughtlessly tossed aside. But now, maybe now, they could replace those memories with new ones. Happier ones. Better late than never, after all.

“My love, it’s getting dark.”

“Just a little longer,” Erik sighed, and curled closer. There was no rush. He was here now, with Charles, and they had all the time in the world.

~~~~~~

_"Paint a picture using only gray_  
_Light your pillow, lay back_  
_Watch the flames_  
_I'd tell a story, but no one_  
_Would listen that long_  
_It's hard to imagine_  
_Things were different then_  
_All is different now_  
_I tried to explain_  
_Somehow"_

Pearl Jam - _Hard to Imagine_

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you liked it, comment and let me know!
> 
> Got a tumblr? If you want, you can follow me [right here](http://roosterbox.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
